#divination tips

[starlingschool]

𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐭 𝟏𝟎𝟏: 𝐖𝐡𝐨’𝐬 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠?

Welcome to Tarot 101 with Astrid! This is part 3 of my series; if you haven’t read the previous ones you can find them here: part 1, part 2.

So you’re wondering who or what is answering your questions when you pick up your deck. In my personal beliefs, I think who answers is up to you. You can tell your deck who can and cannot answer.

For me, who answers changes based on what reading I’m doing.

I made a list to explain the different energies you can choose when using Tarot.

c o n t e n t

a. The deck itself

b. Your spirit guides or deities

c. The universe + trickster spirits

d. Your intuition

e. All of the above

f. None of the above

g. How to set the intention

                            a. The deck itself

This means your deck is conscious. It has a soul. It is consciously aware of itself and the world around you. I personally believe in this because I believe in animism {the belief that everything, including inanimate objects, has a soul.} However, if this belief doesn’t resonate with you, simply let it go.

For those who resonate with this belief, if it is your deck answering, this means when you ask a question and shuffle the deck, the deck itself is giving you the information.

This can either be a positive or a negative thing depending on the personality of your deck.

Each deck is different, because each deck has a different soul, so there’s always a different personality within each deck. Some decks have very blunt energy, they will call you— or anyone you read for— out on any shenanigans and could very well stop letting any cards fly out if their advice and insight is not taken. Some decks are quite emotional in this sense where they take disrespect very seriously and can close up completely— and it can take a great deal of apologizing and changing your behavior before they are open to doing readings again. Other decks have a more forgiving energy where they will patiently continue giving the same advice in new ways to help you register it.

Then there are the tricksters. Now trickster energy does not mean they are malicious or ill-intended, it simply means they may not share the honest, whole truth 100% of the time. Now each deck is different. Personally, I have a deck that only shares what I absolutely need to know and hides the rest away from me so I can enjoy life’s surprises.

Some people may not like this. Especially when you’re not aware they are hiding the whole truth from you. But this deck is actually a dear friend of mine and I appreciate her desire to shield me from what is unnecessary to see in the current moment.

However, this is why I have multiple decks, so I can then ask another deck who is blunt and 100% honest to tell me what the she didn’t share for any questions that I really want to know everything on.

Now, for the fun— or not so fun— part about decks having personalities… they can have a mix of all of these and more. I’ve met grumpy decks, emotional decks, kind decks and fairly rude decks as well. This is also why some readers will give their used decks away and claim “Our energies just didn’t match well.” or “I never quite clicked with this deck like I have with my others.”

However, what makes this fun is getting to know your deck! It’s also very possible for a deck to change personalities after you’ve bonded with it and have respected their boundaries— and vice versa.

I have one deck that, when we first met, was super sweet and would have 20+ cards fly out during every reading— but as I stopped doing readings she felt neglected and desired to leave the deck and reincarnate where she would be used more often. While she felt neglected, her personality changed. She stopped “talking” as much. When I’d do a reading she wouldn’t let any cards pop out and I also didn’t feel intuitively drawn to pull any cards because she didn’t feel like she had anything to say to me. It wasn’t until I asked her what was wrong, and she told me, that things got better. As I put in more effort to do regular readings with her and show her I wasn’t neglecting her out of malice, she slowly returned to her original personality.

This is what I love most about divination and spirit work because it really is just like any other relationship! It takes patience, effort/devotion, and care to develop a healthy working relationship.

          b. Your spirit guides or deities

This means that your deck is a vessel for your spirit guides or deities to communicate with you.

You can specify which deities or spirit guides can communicate with which deck you use. This is useful if you have multiple decks or if you don’t feel comfortable with certain deities or spirit guides and you want to take things slow by having only certain deities/spirits come thru.

If your spirit guides or Deities are answering, this means when you ask a question and shuffle the deck, either your spirit guides or a Deity is giving you the information.

I specifically bought and have a deck to use as a vessel for spirits to use when I do readings. This makes it a lot easier to get a clear answer from a spirit if I’m doubting my clair senses while channeling because then I just ask them to use the deck to talk to me and they do.

This is incredibly useful if you want to communicate with Ancestors, or any spirit really. I find that spirits have a lot of wisdom and comfort to share, and some simply want to speak directly to you rather than having the deck pick up on their energy and relay the information that way.

However, if you also believe in animism, it’s important to note that not all decks like to be used as a vessel. Many of the decks I own prefer to be used as themselves, each have their own reasons for why but some reasons are:

1. they dislike not having control over themselves and which cards come out

2. some spirits lie/don’t share the whole truth or share too much, and this can go against the deck’s personal preference which makes them feel uncomfortable

3. some decks just prefer to be used as themselves since they chose to reincarnate as a divination tool to help share insights

4. some decks are afraid of spirits not leaving once they take hold of them.

However, the deck I use as a vessel is very understanding of the importance of asking spirits directly and feels confident in his ability to banish spirits from him if they ever tried to stay beyond their welcome. This is just an important thing to consider if you do believe in animism and I personally believe the questions “How would you like to be used?” and “Do you feel comfortable/How do you feel with spirits using you to answer questions in a reading?” should definitely be something to ask all decks when you’re getting to know them.

                c. The universe + trickster spirits

If you don’t have a specific deity, spirit or entity that you want to ask your questions to, you can have “the universe” answer. This could be Source, or you could simply ask “the universe” to answer.

Now, no matter which option you choose from to have answer your questions in readings, there is always the importance of your intention and belief.

Some practitioners believe that when you ask “the universe” for help— or a question— that it leaves the forum open to any and all kinds of spirits to offer their help or answers. Meaning you could get a response from an ancestor, Source, or the fair folk, or any other species of spirits.

Each of these could have their own intentions for offering their help or an answer. Some could be doing so out of kindness, pity, or malice. Others could be telling the honest truth, while others could be blatantly lying to you because they just want to have fun.

Now, just because this is a belief some practitioners have does not make it true for your practice. When you call upon the universe, you could very well have only benevolent spirits who have your best interest at heart, or Source themself answering you.

What happens is all within what you believe and your intention when you call on the universe.

Personally, I believe calling on the universe without intention could warrant any spirit to respond, but when I talk about or to the universe in my practice, it is only the beings of upmost benevolence and care for me that I am speaking to, because I have set that intention long ago.

Having the universe answer your questions can have its perks but it comes with fine print. The fine print is what you believe and the intention you put into asking your questions. The universe itself, Source, knows all and can share all… if it feels like it. Just remember to specify that you want the whole truth, if that is what you want.

                             d. Your intuition

Now, if you don’t believe in animism or you don’t feel comfortable conversing with any kind of spirits— or if you’re new to witchcraft— here’s the next option of what could be answering your questions when you do a reading: Your Own Intuition.

If it is your own intuition that is answering you, it is simple.

It’s you looking at a mundane deck, asking yourself the question while shuffling the deck and it is you who finds the answer by simply looking at the cards and interpreting them based on how your intuition speaks to you.

This is probably the most widely used/accepted belief in the witchy communities I have seen. I think it’s because it’s the most beginner friendly of them all. You don’t have to subscribe to a new belief system, you don’t have to worry about setting up boundaries or learning the intricacies to spirit work and channeling, all you have to do is work on understanding your own intuitive pings.

But while this is the most widely used option, it is not free of its own complications.

Now, it can be hard to listen to your intuition or hear it, especially if you are just beginning on your journey. This could lead to frustrations, self-doubt, or even giving up on the art of reading tarot.

However, all the other options are based on the detail that you can hear your intuition, and trust it. Spirits don’t talk to us the way live humans do, we cannot hear them with our physical ears so we use our clair senses— and our clair senses are based on our intuition. This isn’t to discourage you but to inform you of the truth of what it is to read tarot.

The good news is that when it is your intuition answering you, you don’t have to worry about being lied to, being manipulated, upsetting your deck, or having to build a relationship with any kind of spirit.

The good news is, your intuition always has your best interests in mind, your intuition is your higher self nudging you and guiding you to where you need to go and keeping you safe from harm. So this really is the best, beginner friendly option— for now, until we discover a new one!

However, just like with the other options, there is quite a bit of effort to put into reading tarot. This isn’t because this option is just as difficult but it’s simply because Tarot is difficult to grasp, because divination is complicated today.

The world we live in, especially in today’s age, is manufactured to separate us from our intuition, to cloud our judgement, to overstimulate us til we’re exhausted and can’t find our center. Why? Because it’s easier to keep people under control if they can’t regulate their nervous system and hear their intuition and know ways to live free from oppression. (There’s more reasons of course but we can get into that in a later post if you’d like.)

For this reason, it can take quite a while to hear and trust your intuition. Some of us may be faster at it and others may seem like they’re a natural at it, but this shouldn’t discourage you if you need to take more time and put in more effort to trust your intuition. Instead, take pride in how exciting your journey will be! You’ll get to practice more and enjoy the journey to uncover the noise and perhaps trauma that is clouding your intuition.

Taking time to learn your intuition is not a sign that you’ve done anything wrong or that you’re any less of a spiritual being than others. It is a sign of how far our world has gotten from our natural order. It is a sign of how much you’ve endured and have been told to disregard the way your body feels and the voice of your intuition. It is a reminder that we need to put in effort to teach others and the generations to come to spend time listening to their intuition to strengthen it so this doesn’t continue happening.

No matter the amount of time before you can fully trust your intuition, tarot is a really great way to learn and strengthen it!

                            e. All of the above

Now, a fun thing about divination is you can mix and match who answers your questions. This includes when you read tarot as well.

For my personal practice, I have my decks themselves answer, and I also rely on my intuition to interpret their cards and hear their insights.

I also have a handmade deck I made myself that I use to strengthen my intuition. I don’t ask the deck itself, I ask myself while I shuffle.

Then for my divination shop, the decks themselves answer until a client wants a channeled message, then I use the vessel deck.

So if more than one of these options resonates with you, know that you can mix and match with your readings, even mid-reading.

I still ask my vessel deck to answer questions himself! Sometimes I ask him to answer the questions first then I’ll have the specified spirit enter him or vice versa, but I find it faster to have him answer first because cleansing him after he channels a spirit can vary times for each spirit.

So really it is up to you who answers and when.

                           f. None of the above

Now, that we’ve gotten thru all the options I know of, here’s this one! It could be none of these.

If you find a new way to read tarot and find answers from something that isn’t a spirit or the deck or yourself, trust it! Trust yourself.

Tarot, like anything in the occult is really just personal gnosis turned into verified gnosis when it reaches a certain level of popularity or enough time has passed where it is now part of the myths and lore.

So if your journey takes you on the path of finding a new way, use it! And perhaps share it here if you feel comfortable, in the comments or reblogs so we can all learn your way too!

The beauty of tarot and the occult is: it is personal. What resonates for me may not resonate for you, what works for you may not work for others. It is all just each of us finding our own unique spin on a practice with lots of different options all passed down from people’s personal preferences and insights on the subject.

So have fun with your journey and have fun reading tarot in your unique way!

g. How to set the intention

Here’s the fun part! So now you know the different options for who or what can answer your questions, but if it all rests on setting the belief and intention, How do you set it?

Well, it varies… because it’s personal.

I’ve seen people complicate the idea of setting an intention, and I think that can make it really hard for beginners to understand what exactly setting an intention is, and means, and does.

It could be an elaborate ceremony where you light a few candles, maybe write it down on paper and pass the paper thru a flame. Or it could be more simple, you could set the intention by affirming while meditating for a few minutes, or it could be really quick while you’re dusting your fingers off from a snack you just gobbled up before grabbing your deck!

Each one of these— and any way you want to set the intention— is just as valid and concrete as the next!

I think the confusion around setting intention, comes from people’s desire to make their practice fun, so they add more steps or they take away steps but then share it as “the only true way” to set an intention and this causes the confusion.

So what exactly does it mean to set an intention?

Setting an intention is simple at its core. It’s you declaring either why you are doing something, or what you are doing, or what is happening.

In the case of tarot readings and setting the intention of who is answering your questions, setting the intention is essentially saying “This is who is allowed to answer me. No one else, nothing else. Just this.”

This can be done in any way that feels comfortable and true to you.

It can be as simple as thinking it once, “My deck answers me.” or it can be an affirmation you say every time while you shuffle your deck before a reading. Or it could be lighting a candle and affirming it with the energy of the flame to help you feel that your intention is solidified.

There is no wrong way to set an intention.

The only caveat is that you have to believe it and it has to be true to you.

Think of it as you swearing your reason for doing something in the court of universal law.

Let’s say a mundane example. You’re texting a friend, asking about y’all’s plans tonight. Your true reason for texting them is because you’re hoping they want to cancel because you want to stay home, but when they ask you why you’re asking, you lie and say you just wanted to confirm it was still happening. It’s not a lie, but it’s not fully honest and this can cause confusion and potentially an argument based on the miscommunication when the truth comes out later.

Setting an intention in anything magic related is the same way.

Let’s give a magical example now. Say you’re casting a spell. If you say the reason you’re doing a spell is because you want problems in your love life to be fixed but really you’re true reason for doing it is because you want someone to love you forever. Well now the spell is confused. It doesnt know whether it’s healing your karma and love life to bring you the best version of love to you, or if it’s simply bringing someone, anyone, into your life who will end up attached to you so they don’t leave you— perhaps in an unhealthy way— so you can have what you want.

This is usually the cause for why spells “don’t work” or “backfire.” It’s the lack of clear and true intention setting.

This is why it’s important to know yourself. Honestly. Either you can hear your soul and know instantly, exactly why you’re doing something, or you meditate and sit with the feeling until you know why you want to do something before you set the intention.

However you do it, you need to know your true reason behind doing something and then declare it, that is what setting an intention is.

So no matter which option you choose for your tarot practice, make sure you’re setting the true intention of what you want, to make sure you’re actually being answered by who or what you want.

If you have any questions or want me to elaborate on something in this post please reach out, either with my “Library of Owls”, comments or DMs 🩷✨

💌 i m p o r t a n t n o t e 💌

I will never message you first asking for money or about booking tarot readings with me, so please be mindful of impersonators!

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Links

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With Love, Astrid 🪿

[aestrologist]

tarot tips

i learned how to read tarot from my nanny and i figured i'd make a post with what helped me become more confident in my abilities.

my nanny told me to not depend on guidebooks, and to connect to a higher self (aka intuition / consciousness). once you trust yourself and the guidance/words that channel/flow through you-- your abilities to read tarot will flourish.

if you're doubtful of your interpretation, pull another card for clarification. whether it's for a paid reading or for yourself. that card is what you need to know, it doesn't matter if you include it in your reading. you just need to process what it's telling you.

imagery of the card is very important. sometimes when i'm reading tarot, a whole story will be in my mind from looking within the cards. i do my best to interpret that story. there will always be an aspect of it that resonates if not all. i don't allow myself to think otherwise.

the biggest thing is to be receptive of what you're feeling or seeing. don't just shrug it off during a reading, as you never know-- that piece of information could have shed so much light onto the person you're reading for.

if there's anything you take from this post, just remember the imagery of a card tells a whole lot if you allow yourself to trust your intuition.

[vesse-moricaleo-lusifero]

If it won't be too much to ask for, can you give tips on divination for beginners, especially tarot?

Hello! Welcome! It's lovely to see you.

You wish for some "Beginner" divination tips, yes?

There are a great many forms of divination. My primary form of Divination is Osteomancy and then Hemomancy (blood divination). Osteomancy is done regularly. But the Hemomancy is done once a month. I also perform cartomancy.

Overall, I think people forget that Divination is an intuitive art. There is not a right or wrong way to do it.

Consider this, even when applying yourself to Tarot.

As you wish for me to offer beginner friendly advice with a focus on tarot, we will be applying some of this knowledge as well. For simplicity, I am offering, unto you, a list!

When drawing cards, pay close attention to the figures and where their attention is. If a figure in a card happens to be looking in a direction that has another card beside it, then pay mind to that focus. The card is directing your focus to that other card.

Colours are important. If drawing multiple cards and they share colour themes even if not suits, pay mind to that. Especially if the art mirrors one another.

A card can mean whatever you want it to. I was gifted the Alleyway tarot. There are multiple cards of all the major arcana and some duplicates of minor arcana. None of them read the same yet all serve their purposes.

Cards do not speak as individuals only. Look at how they are connected! Is there anything mirrored or reflected in top-to-bottom cards? How about the cards that are beneath other cards? Are they supporting anything above them?

When you ask about a subject and you draw a bunch of cards, look at what is absent not what is present. If you have a lot of pentacles and wands but no swords or cups? Maybe this suggests a lack of communication, emotional intelligence, or self awareness. If you draw cards for finances and get everything but pentacles, then you may find your coffers are still empty even if you're emotionally and intellectually or creatively fulfilled.

My personal opinion is that "Deity Divination" is utter rubbish. Quite frankly, it's something I avoid with a 50 metre pole and I've been doing divination for 20+ years. I refuse to believe that someone can guess a deity with cards. I have spoken on this before on this post. "Realistically this is not actually useful in any way shape or form as you would have to narrow down a deity based on ethnic background, tradition, region, time/era, reference of syncretism, era, geopolitical state, and what a deity means to a particular individual or ethnic group and how that applies. The idea that you can encompass all of those nuances and obtain the very specifics of a deity based on five cards is such a horrific and poorly constructed idea. Oh my goodness gracious. Please do not fall for this. Identification simply cannot happen so easily. How much have you reduced and squashed deities down that you can summarise them in simply five cards? My doubt is so great... It is not so simple as that. There is far more than goes into it."

Cards need breaks. And so do you. Make sure you drink and eat something. It's okay to have a glass of wine with some meat and cheese. Offer your deck a bit of incense or a gentle shuffle to relax it.

In this same vein, you don't "have" to read anything. Open up your deck, kick back, shuffle. Lay out cards. Just feel them. Do not interpret them. Just look at them and spend time appreciating the art.

Know what your deck likes and does not like to read on. Sometimes decks dislike financial advice or relationship discussions. Familiarise yourself with that. Check in every few months or in a year and see if any of its preferences have changed.

Harmony and synergy with your deck is naturally occurring. It's okay to look at a situation with your deck and go "This isn't for us" and to move on. You are a dynamic individual. You change. So does your deck. Expect the both of you to grow over time, together.

These are all rather basic and simple tips. I wished to offer just ten tips or tidbits of advice and wisdom for you. There are many more I could provide, but ten is a good number. Not too much. Not too little. Easy to remember. Besides, you're always welcome to visit again!

It was good to see you! Take care!

[aesethewitch]

Divination Troubleshooting

One of the more difficult aspects of divination, I think, is working out what to do when things don’t work the way they’re supposed to. When you’ve done everything technically right, there’s a chance you still won’t get answers that you can interpret, that make sense, or that are correct. If you have an occasional problem with divination, that’s totally normal — nothing will work 100% of the time. But when it happens consistently, it might be time to do a little troubleshooting.

This post is far from a complete list of possible problems. I’ve spent many years trying (and failing at) different forms of divination, so these are things I’ve personally run into and the things I consider when troubleshooting.

The basic format of this post is the form of problem, a short description of what the problem looks like, possible causes for the problem, and multiple suggested solutions for each cause. These recommendations are fairly general and non-exhaustive. You may find that you need to employ multiple solutions before the problem resolves, and you may find that none of these proposed solutions solve the issue you’re having. Some listed problems are specific to a particular tool, but most are applicable to more than one type.

Sometimes, determining the cause of your issue can be difficult. It can take a good amount of discernment to figure out, so don’t feel discouraged if you can’t fix the problem on the first try!

Unclear Answers

You’ve drawn your cards, cast your charms, selected your runes, and… it makes no sense, or maybe the answers you receive are too vague to be useful.

Cause: Lack of practice or familiarity with the tool Solutions:

Perform practice readings with the tool

Study the guidebook, if you have one, to determine whether there are additional meanings to glean

Look up potential alternate meanings to the individual cards/runes, or consider another perspective (Three of Swords not always meaning heartbreak, for example)

Ask for a second opinion by taking a picture of the reading and sending it to like-minded practitioners who would be willing to help you interpret

Request a reading from a more seasoned diviner to confirm the information you’re able to glean from your own reading (if you do this, I would suggest letting them know that you’re seeking clarity from a divination you did for yourself)

Cause: No thoughts, head empty (brain fog, sudden blanking, fatigue, etc.) Solutions:

Set it aside and come back to it later with fresh eyes

Do grounding or energizing exercises before redoing the divination

Take care of your mundane needs (drink water, eat something, sleep, take medicines, go outside/get fresh air, etc.) and then return to it

Ask for a second opinion

Write down what you can understand and return to it later to check your interpretation and/or reinterpret it

Cause: The question was poorly worded, or you’re asking the wrong question Solutions:

Reword the question

Ask a different question related to the situation

Consider whether the answer given is to another question or another facet of the situation

Ask the tool, spirits, deities, etc. what you should be focusing on, if not the question you’re asking

Ask follow-up questions to clarify specifics

Cause: The tool isn’t suited to the question you’re asking Solutions:

Try a different tool

Reword the question to suit the tool better

Request a reading from someone else (if you only use one type of tool)

Cause: Stagnant energy is lingering on or around the tool Solutions:

Cleanse the tool and any containers you keep the tool in

Reshuffle, shake, etc. thoroughly before attempting to divine again

Allow the tool to “rest” so it can “cool off” and lose some of the stuck-on energy

Cause: Missing context or information Solutions:

Write down what you can understand for now and come back in a few days/weeks to see if it makes more sense

Walk away and come back to it in an hour to see if new details come to mind

Work on phrasing your questions to account for information you don’t actively know

Cause: One single card is standing out, not meshing with the rest of the reading Solutions:

Let the querent know it’s a confusing card, explain what it typically means, and allow them to offer clarification or possible meanings to it

Decide ahead of time what you will do with cards like this and what they could possibly mean, so that when they come up, you can seamlessly deal with them

Disregard the rogue card entirely

Allow the card to stand on its own, almost like a separate reading within the existing reading; redraw for the position if doing a spread

Consider alternative or unorthodox meanings to the card, especially if it’s in an odd position in a spread:

The card may be referring to another question or situation; if so, set it aside and consider doing a separate divination with that card as a focus

The card may indicate a particular person; determine who it may be and what their impact is on the overall situation

The card may be a message from a spirit, related or unrelated to the situation; set it aside and consider doing a separate divination to see the full message

The card may indicate an unexpected element, upheaval, discomfort, or mismatched priorities; the interpretation largely depends on the card and position

Wrong Answers

You thought you had it, but the divination ended up being completely wrong. One time is normal, but consistently very wrong divinations are less so.

Cause: Lack of practice or familiarity with the tool Solutions:

Perform practice readings, either with actual questions, hypothetical scenarios, or no prompt at all to work on weaving meanings together and identifying messages/symbolism

Ask others if you can practice your divination with them to get more practical experience

Study the guidebook (if there is one) or other guides and articles on the tool to determine whether you missed a meaning, theme, or detail that would have made the reading more accurate

Study how you asked the question, performed the divination, and interpreted the output to see what may have gone wrong, if anything

Cause: The tool you’re using isn’t suited to you Solutions:

Try a different type of tool

If using tarot or oracle cards, try a deck with different imagery

If using tarot, try a deck based on a different system (Thoth vs. Rider-Waite-Smith, for example)

Cause: You’ve asked the same question too many times in a short period, and now the readings are so muddied nothing is accurate Solutions:

Take a break from divining on the question or topic

Consider the answers you’ve already gotten and determine which is the likeliest to be true (or untrue)

Ask a different question

Cause: Misleading or incorrect phrasing and information from the querent Solutions:

Clarify the situation with the querent

Before beginning the divination, let the querent know that they need to be honest with you or results may not be correct

Rephrase the question or prompt to be more honest about the situation

Cause: Blockages or disruption between you and the divination target Solutions:

Ask the querent to temporarily allow you through their protections

Cast a spell to break through the barrier/blockage before trying the divination again (note that if the barrier is a purposeful protection against prying eyes, there may be consequences to busting through)

Request spirit assistance with breaking through the blockage

Ground yourself and clear away any blockages or reluctance within yourself to see and understand the truth

Accept that the target person doesn’t want you divining about them

Cause: The question was poorly worded for the tool you’re using Solutions:

Try a different tool better suited to the type of question you’re asking (pendulums for yes/no, magpie oracle for general life readings, tarot for advice, etc.)

Reword the question to suit the tool

Practice asking better divination questions overall (proper wording, understanding the tool’s capabilities, etc.)

Conflicting Answers

When you do separate readings on the same topic and get different answers, it can be confusing! Which one do you believe? Which will actually come true?

Cause: You’ve asked the same question too many times Solutions:

 Take a break from divining on the topic or question

Consider the answers you’ve already gotten and determine which is the likeliest to be true (or untrue)

Ask something else, either relating to the situation or not

Cause: Circumstances have changed radically since you last divined on the situation Solutions:

Divine on what’s changed and how it’s caused the shift

If the change is undesirable, ask how you can get back on track to the future you want

Compare the readings to see if you can determine the links between them

Cause: The future is mutable, and there are separate, very different possibilities branching out around the situation Solutions:

Divine about the causes of each outcome already gathered to see what’s causing the vast difference in readings

If there are many people involved, do smaller, more specific divinations to determine their impact on the future

Accept that you may not get to know the future perfectly

Ask instead how you can attain the future you actually want, rather than what may happen

Always Exhausted Afterwards

After doing divination, you feel absolutely drained of energy. Whether that’s physical, emotional, or spiritual energy, when it happens often, it can be discouraging and make you want to never do divination again!

Cause: Your energy is depleting naturally Solutions:

Do smaller divinations

Only perform one divination in a single sitting, rather than attempting several back to back

Request assistance from spirits to boost your own energy or borrow theirs for the reading

Eat a nourishing meal beforehand and have a snack afterwards

Cause: The querent, tool, spirits, etc., involved are draining your energy Solutions:

Bolster your area’s protections with a focus on keeping your energy to yourself

Wear something like a veil or other protective clothing, jewelry, or accessories during the divination to prevent the drain

Do a grounding exercise beforehand to center your focus and keep your energy to yourself

Pause the divination if you start feeling yourself draining to refresh and protect your energy

If working with spirits which are draining you as part of a deal (whether spoken or unspoken), make a physical offering instead of an energetic one

Practice energy work to learn how to better contain your energy so that it isn’t as free for the taking

Cause: You didn’t have the energy to begin with, but divined anyways Solutions:

Request a reading from a trusted source

Seek ways to boost your energy before beginning

Take care of your mundane needs before performing divination (eat something, drink water, take a nap, get some fresh air)

Spirits Aren’t Coming Through or Assisting

You’ve invited spirits to the table, but it doesn’t seem like they’ve got a hand in the divination results you’re getting.

Cause: You haven’t made an offering equivalent in value to what you’re asking for Solutions:

Set out an offering before starting if you haven’t already

Determine what the spirits might want other that what you’ve already offered

Offer something more personalized to the particular spirit

Make a sacrifice, rather than a simple offering (give up the last cookie, lay a piece of meaningful jewelry on their altar, etc.)

Cause: The spirits think you aren’t ready to know the answers you’re looking for Solutions:

Seek answers from another source

Wait a while and try again later

Ask a different question

Cause: The spirits you’re trying to contact aren’t immediately available/answering Solutions:

Call on the spirits before you start divining and let them know what you’re doing and why

Perform the divination at their sacred space, if possible

If working in an animist sense, “wake up” or “activate” your deck’s spirit in some way before beginning (knocking, speaking to it, etc.)

Cause: Another spirit is interrupting Solutions:

Ask the intruding spirit to back off (for now or forever, that’s up to you)

Perform a banishing if the spirit is unwelcome and will not leave when asked

Find out what the interrupting spirit wants and either decline or fulfill their request

End the divination and come back to it later on

Pendulum Won’t Swing Consistently

The pendulum swings willy-nilly with little to no rhyme or reason, providing no clear answers.

Cause: The cord, chain, string, or other material isn’t long enough Solutions:

Replace it with a longer cord, chain, string, etc.

Use a different pendulum

Create your own pendulum using a length of string (or twine, etc.) and a crystal, stone, pendant, coin, or other relatively heavy item

Cause: The pendulum itself isn’t heavy enough, or it’s an uneven shape Solutions:

Replace the pendulum with a pointed stone, crystal, or piece of glass Thread other, heavier beads, charms, crystals, stones, etc., onto the pendulum’s cord/chain

Cause: Your source for answers isn’t working with you Solutions:

If working based on your own intuition, do a grounding exercise and try again

If working with spirits, make an offering or see whether the spirits are present before trying again

Cause: There’s a breeze making it swing Solutions:

Wait until the wind dies down

Move indoors to try again

Close windows, turn off fans, and turn off air conditioners in the immediate area

Cause: The energy in your area is causing interference Solutions:

Perform a cleansing of the area to clear out excess energy

Banish any rogue spirits hanging around who are messing with the pendulum on purpose

Perform a ritual to calm the energy around you, like soothing a storm or lulling the wind to sleep for the duration of your divination

Keep Dropping Cards

Dropping your whole deck of cards may be an issue with grip strength, clumsiness, or joint bendiness… or, it may be a sign of an underlying issue or message.

Cause: The deck is too large or cumbersome to hold and shuffle easily Solutions:

Try another, smaller deck of tarot cards

Try a deck with standard card shapes (round or very large cards are personally super hard to shuffle neatly)

Ignore jumping or dropped cards, and only take cards you consciously draw

Cause: The shuffle itself is difficult Solutions:

Try another method of shuffling

Practice shuffling with regular playing cards, then with the deck you want to be using (this makes a fun fidget while watching shows)

If all shuffling is difficult, spread out the cards on a flat surface and mix them together before putting them back into a pile and drawing accordingly

Cause: The spirit(s) you’re communicating with don’t want to provide answers right now Solutions:

Provide an offering or payment for services rendered (especially if you haven’t in a while)

Take a break and try again later

Investigate the root cause of their reluctance and plan accordingly

Never Feels “Right” to Stop Shuffling or to Pull a Card

You’re shuffling. And shuffling. And… shuffling. You’re waiting for a sign to stop and pull cards, and it just never comes.

Cause: Your brain and/or intuitive thinking is exhausted Solutions:

Take a break from divination and other magical practices

Do a grounding exercise to reconnect with your intuitive thoughts and try again

Replenish your energy by eating something, drinking water, having a nap, and otherwise taking care of your mundane needs before trying again

Cause: You aren’t meant to know the answer to the question you’ve asked Solutions:

Ask a different, related question to see if you can get answers

Try again in a few days

Try a different divination tool (different tools can provide different answers with varying levels of detail)

Failing troubleshooting, accept that you can’t know everything that’s ahead and simply plan accordingly (magically and mundanely)

Cause: Blockage between you and the target of the question Solutions:

Cast a spell to break through the barrier/blockage before trying the divination again (note that if the barrier is a purposeful protection against prying eyes, there may be consequences to busting through)

Determine whether there are missing details about the situation that may help break through

Request spirit intervention to get around the blockage

Ground yourself and clear away any blockages or reluctance within yourself to see and understand the truth

Accept that the target person doesn’t want you to divine about them

If the reading is about a situation, a spell of “true seeing” or clarity may help

Cause: The querent isn’t being fully honest about their question (misleading phrasing, leaving out information that would impact the reading) Solutions:

Clarify the situation with the querent

If divining for yourself, consider all facets of the situation and question before rewording it more clearly and honestly

Talk or journal about the situation before beginning to get as much information as possible

Cause: The spirits you rely on for divination have declined to provide answers Solutions:

Ask why they aren’t answering

Try again later

Try another divination tool

Use another source for answers, such as the universe on the whole or your own deeper intuitive self

Reword the question to be more specific or general, depending

Cause: Something about the cards or shuffle themselves isn’t right Solutions:

Try another shuffle/pull method (spread out cards and pull at random, create piles and take the top of each, etc.)

Try a different deck of cards

Try another type of divination tool

Give the deck a cleanse

Look for a way to “wake up” or “activate” the cards

Too Many Jumpers

Even if you read tarot like I do with all jumpers, having a ton of cards leap out at once can be daunting — and even annoying, if it keeps happening consistently.

Cause: Your deck is too large for your hands, or it’s an odd shape (circular, non-standard number of cards, above-average card size, thick card stock) Solutions:

Try a deck with fewer cards or a more standard shape and paper weight

Create your own deck of cards that fits more securely in your hands

Try a digital deck of cards

Disregard jumping cards completely and only accept cards you’re pulling on purpose

Cause: More possibilities or details about the situation need to be brought to light than expected Solutions:

Try another spread to accommodate the jumpers

Ditch the spread altogether and read the cards as they fall instead

Treat the jumping cards as amendments or extra information about the card whose position you’re drawing for (for example, if drawing for a “Self” position and you get two jumpers before pulling your card in your usual fashion, the two jumpers modify the Official Card)

Cause: Spirits are interfering with the reading Solutions:

Cleanse the area or banish the offending spirits if they’re not ones you’ve welcomed into the space

Request that they chill the heck out and not throw any (or as many) jumping cards

Make an offering to quell their mischief

Pay attention to why they’re acting this way; if you’re not sure, ask for their reasons

Applicable to Now, Not Later

Your reading describes your situation as it is right now with perfect clarity, but it doesn’t reveal anything new or give insights into the future.

Cause: Your current talent lies in revealing the present Solutions:

Practice with readings explicitly about the immediate future

Practice targeting a specific moment in the future, such as a particular future month’s events

Fine-tune your questions to specifically request information you don’t know

Employ spirits or deities to expand your abilities to encompass the future

Try another tool or supplement your reading with another tool

Cause: The question or prompt is too open or general Solutions:

Ask a more specific, carefully worded question

Ask what you mean, rather than a general question around the situation (“What do I need to know about my relationship with X?” vs. “What do I need to know about my love life?”)

Cause: There will be little to no change in the timeframe you’re asking about Solutions:

Expand the range of time you’re asking about

Choose a time further in the future (next year instead of next month, for example)

Make an active choice to change the future if you’re dissatisfied with things as they appear to be now

Can’t Get into the “Right Headspace” for Divination

You’ve sat down and have your tools ready, but you just can’t get into the zone.

Cause: Your environment is distracting Solutions:

Move to a quieter location where you can focus more

Perform a grounding exercise to shut out distractions and focus on your divination

Wear headphones and play music that will help you focus (I suggest unobtrusive music without lyrics, so that it doesn’t impact your interpretations; personally, I use crackly fireside sounds over lo-fi beats)

Cause: Your environment isn’t inspiring you to get into the right headspace Solutions:

Create a space specifically for performing divination, whether permanent or temporary

Curate an aesthetic for your divination space with candles, crystals, plants, divination cloths, and other things that are meaningful to you

Go for a walk in a place that does inspire you and perform a divination there, if possible (cemeteries, parks, museums, rivers, etc.); if not possible to do divination there, absorb as much of the inspiring energy as you can and carry it back to your divination location

Cause: You don’t have the energy for it right now Solutions:

Focus on replenishing your energy with food, water, sleep, and other self-care tasks before divining

Request assistance from spirits to boost or borrow energy

Request a divination from someone else

Cause: You just aren’t in the mood for it Solutions:

Create a ritual that will help you get into your desired headspace for divination (putting on specific accessories, preparing your space, calling on spirits, etc.)

Request a divination from someone else

Walk away and come back to it when you feel more motivated

Scroll through others’ divination posts, watch a video, or listen to a podcast to get inspired to do your own divination

Conclusion

Again, there are countless possible issues and even further countless possible solutions to those issues. In general, walking away for a while, having a rest, practicing asking questions, and becoming more familiar with your tool over time will be the best tools in your belt. And if you can’t find a solution on your own, there’s no shame in crowdsourcing ideas for fixes! Ask your friends, your favorite witchy blogger, your Discord servermates, make a public post for others to comment on, or otherwise reach out. The best ideas often come from conversation.

Feel free to drop questions in the reblogs, replies, or my ask box if you’d like to ask me in particular about your divination troubles! I’m always happy to help out where I can. And if I’ve got no clue, one of my followers or mutuals might have a thought to share!

If you enjoyed this post or my other work, consider tossing a couple dollars in my tip jar! (And check out my commissions for custom spellwork and tarot readings!) Everything goes toward keeping me and my partner afloat on our bills, so it’s very much appreciated!

[brujamala-aka-gigi]

Tarot card interpretation tip's

A short list on possible meanings of the same minor arcana card but from different suits. Kinda like this:

· · ────── ꒰ঌ·✦·໒꒱ ────── · ·

( I transcribed an old cheat sheet from when I was learning tarot myself, I think this one is from 2014 I do kinda keep this in mind to this day tho)

Please take into consideration that this is overly simplified and its most likely that you will have reversed cards and upright cards on the same reading, and that you should always be able to read the whole context and see the full picture even if having one minor arcana repeating itself in all suits. And, as usual, whenever you're learning new ways of interpreting don't loose your own ways and don't take them as something set in stone. Having your own personal interpretations based on the concepts already associated with the cards (by tradition or by experience of other readers) is always valuable and it enriches the learning experience for you and if you read for others, also for them.

✦✦✦THE LIST✦✦✦

✦ 4 KINGS: great honour // INVERTED: celebrity

✦ 3 KINGS: doubts // INVERTED: commerce

✦ 2 KINGS: minor advice // INVERTED: projects

✦ 4 QUEENS: great debate // INVERTED: bad company

✦ 3 QUEENS: deceit  // INVERTED: indulgence

✦ 2 QUEENS: honest friends // INVERTED: work

✦ 4 KNIGHTS: serious matters // INVERTED: alliance

✦ 3 KNIGHTS: intense debate // INVERTED: conflict

✦ 2 KNIGHTS: intimacy // INVERTED: susceptibility

✦ 4 PAGES: risky situation // INVERTED: obstacles

✦ 3 PAGES: dispute // INVERTED: stillness

✦ 2 PAGES: instability  // INVERTED: community

✦ 4 TENS: condemnation // INVERTED: event

✦ 3 TENS: new condition // INVERTED: disappointment

✦ 2 TENS: change // INVERTED: expectations

✦ 4 NINES: a great friend // INVERTED: earnings

✦ 3 NINES: success // INVERTED: imprudence

✦ 2 NINES: deep comprehension // INVERTED: small victory

✦ 4 EIGHTS: revival // INVERTED: mistake

✦ 3 EIGHTS: union // INVERTED: spectacle

✦ 2 EIGHTS: new knowledge // INVERTED: bad luck

✦ 4 SEVENS: intrigue // INVERTED: aggressiveness

✦ 3 SEVENS: illness // INVERTED: lust

✦ 2 SEVENS: news // INVERTED: gossip

✦ 4 SIX: abundance // INVERTED: nurture

✦ 3 SIX: success // INVERTED: satisfaction

✦ 2 SIX: irritability // INVERTED: fall

✦ 4 FIVES: regularity // INVERTED: order

✦ 3 FIVES: determination // INVERTED: confusion

✦ 2 FIVES: vigilance  // INVERTED: resurrection

✦ 4 FOURS: travel // INVERTED: strangeness

✦ 3 FOURS: reflection // INVERTED: insecurity

✦ 2 FOURS: insomnia // INVERTED: dispute

✦ 4 THREES: progress // INVERTED: great success

✦ 3 THREES: unity // INVERTED: serenity

✦ 2 THREES: calmness // INVERTED: security

✦ 4 TWOS: nurturing // INVERTED: reconciliation

✦ 3 TWOS: security // INVERTED: apprehension

✦ 2 TWOS: agreement // INVERTED: distrust

✦ 4 ONES: favourable opportunity // INVERTED: dishonour

✦ 3 ONES: small success // INVERTED: indulgence

✦ 2 ONES: minor obstacles // INVERTED: enemies

✦✦✦✦✦✦

i hope this is helpful to someone <3

check my blog for some more tarot related content if you're into that!

byyyeeee

much love, gigi.

[sistersbyfreya]

i stopped doing readings for others when i had someone ask me if a person loved them, but that person was in a relationship with someone else.

She did not like that I said “no” (this is simplifying things) because she told me she had other people tell her that he was madly in love with her!

Honestly if you are wanting a reading, you must have an open mind

[witchblr-help-hotline]

hey, witchgpt, what's the difference between tarot cards and oracle cards? thx

My answer: The main difference between the two is that tarot follows a specific system, while oracle cards are a bit more loose. I don't have much experience with oracle cards, though, so maybe another witch can explain them better!

I use tarot specifically because I like how it's more structured.

[etheribot]

7 things i do as a divination witch: tarot edition

-ˏ͛⑅　‧̥̥͙‧̥̥ ̥ ̮ ̥ ⊹ ‧̫‧ ⊹ ̥ ̮ ̥ ‧̥̥‧̥̥͙　⑅ˏ͛-

friendly disclaimer

-ˏ͛⑅　‧̥̥͙‧̥̥ ̥ ̮ ̥ ⊹ ‧̫‧ ⊹ ̥ ̮ ̥ ‧̥̥‧̥̥͙　⑅ˏ͛-

this is all my own personal beliefs and practice! if you’re a beginner witch, please please please know that you don’t have to follow these things! i’m of the belief that each tarot deck has it’s own spirit. because of this, some things that work for me and my deck might not work for you and yours! i do strongly recommend bonding with your deck and forming a routine and habits that best suit you and your deck. feel free to try out the things i list here, and if they don’t seem to work or feel right, no sweat! try something else! customize your practice to your needs <3 anyways… if you read this entire disclaimer, i love you!!! say it back. (/ω＼)

﹥ˏˋ♡̩͙♡̩̩̥͙♡̩̥̩ ♡̩̥̩♡̩̩̥͙♡̩͙ˊˎ﹤

1

☆～ my tarot deck goes almost EVERYWHERE with me! in my purse when i go out, under my pillow when i sleep, on my desk while i work, in my lap while i relax… we’re nearly inseparable! i want our energies to be completely melded. ♪( ´▽｀)

2

☆～ i shuffle them for fun. sometimes i organize them and put them in “order” just to shuffle them up again with no intention of actually getting a reading. it’s another little way i bond with my cards.

3

☆～ i don’t let someone i dislike touch them! it’s pretty rare, actually, for me to dislike someone… so when i do, i take it as a gut feeling that their energy is incompatible with my energy, and therefore incompatible with my cards. (>﹏<)

4

☆～ i ALSO don’t wish for strangers to touch them. i don’t necessarily mind this as much, accidents happen and cleansing is easy, but i prefer to only let people i’m very comfortable with touch my cards.

5

☆～ i keep them in a breathable bag when traveling instead of a box. it’s not AS secure… but it makes me sad to box my cards up. there’s no magickal reason for this, just that keeping them in a stuffy old box makes me feel sad!! (╯﹏╰）

6

☆～ i avoid buying cards with minimalist style art. i prefer to read off my own interpretations most of the time, so the more symbolic and detailed the art the better! it’s a little silly, because i actually really like the style of the more modern and minimal designs… it’s just a bit impractical. ╮(╯▽╰)╭

7

☆～ no “yes or no” questions, i use cinnamon sticks for that. no particular reason, just personal preference! i use the tarot for when i need more deep answers… and i can never remember which cards are meant to be “yes” and which are meant to be “no”.